Imperfection
by RainynDawn
Summary: To herself, she was imperfect. To him, she was perfection. HGSB Oneshot.


**DISCLAIMER: You know the drill: I don't own Harry Potter, yada, yada, yada.**

**A/N: Alright, so now I have this fascination with one-shots….particularly ones inspired by songs. You see, I have Mythology (completely boring, don't recommend it…at least if you attend this college) and I often find my ADD taking over…and so it works wonders…just not towards any of my stories. Here's another one-shot dedicated to Kimmie-poo because I miss her and I used to make her listen to this song ALL THE TIME….I love it. "Imperfection" by Saving Jane.**

**APOLOGY: Yes, I know I've had a thing for the angst lately…I was trying to make moonyNZ cry…that's the only excuse I offer… :P**

_My hairs a wreck mascara runs _

_My feet get dirty and my skin burns in the sun _

_My lips they bleed but I still sing my songs _

_Takes me a minute to admit it when I'm wrong _

_Pretty is as pretty does but pretty is not my thing_

She stood off to the side watching him. He was with a different girl tonight- a redhead. They were holding onto each other as they danced to the sensual rhythm of the music.

She turned her head away, shutting her eyes against the scene.

She knew she wasn't beautiful like the girls he dated, but she couldn't help how she felt. She wish she could, but she couldn't. Every night she would come here and every night she would compare herself to the girls he brought with him.

And every night she would find herself lacking.

The girl tonight had long red hair that hung straight to her waist and jade green eyes. Her skin was very and looked milky, completely flawless.

Her own hands reached up to touch her own hair. The bushy mass was no where near perfect. Her brown eyes were commonly plain and her skin, though blemish free, was not the same milky colour.

She was imperfection at its finest.

She shook her head. No, no matter how much she might care for him, she would not change for him. She was happy with herself, though she wished dearly that he would just notice her.

As he led the girl from the dance floor, she knew where they were headed. It was no secret what came after these dates of his.

He was a very handsome and virile man after all.

She quickly gulped down the rest of her drink and left some notes on the table to pay for it. Then she rose and headed for the door.

_This is what you get this is who I am _

_Take me now or leave me anyway you can _

_Sometimes I trip and fall but I know where I stand _

_And if you're thinking about changing my direction _

_Don't mess with imperfection _

She sat outside on the porch in the middle of the night, a large fleece blanket was wrapped around her shoulders to protect herself from the bitter night wind.

The stars twinkled high up in the sky, dancing a slow dance just for her. The moon was only half full tonight as it surveyed the dance of the stars.

Sleep evaded her most nights and she often found it better to just sit outside until she began to grow drowsy. That usually took till the wee hours of the morning.

She was so lost in her study of the stars that she didn't realize the presence of another person until they took a seat beside of her. She looked over and found herself staring at him.

"What are you doing out here?" she demanded instantly. She wasn't mad that he had joined her, she was thrilled- but she didn't like the tartly smell of redhead that clung to him.

"I could ask you the same thing," he returned, leaning back slightly to look at her.

She turned her head away so that she wouldn't feel tempted to stare at his bare chest, tattoos scattered across it. _Why couldn't he put on a shirt?_

"I always come out here," was her answer.

"I know," was his reply and she found herself gazing at him curiously. He sighed. "Harry's mad at me."

She was stunned by that admission. Harry hadn't said anything to her about it, but why should he? There really was no reason for him to tell her something like that.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, turning her gaze back to the stars.

She felt his eyes on her but she forced herself to not acknowledge him. She would pretend as if she didn't care and ignore him.

"It's cold out here tonight," was what finally escaped his lips.

"I know," she returned bluntly.

He leaned closer, his warm breath tickling her cheek. "Want to share your blanket?" he whispered teasingly in her ear.

She cocked her head slightly to look at him, one brow raised and answered simply, "No."

He placed a hand to his chest. "You wound me. You would let me sit here and freeze rather than share your large blanket with me."

She shrugged. "You should have thought about it before you came out here," she stated unemotionally.

"Fine, guess I'll just have to resort to cuddling."

Before she knew what was happening, he wrapped both of his arms around her and buried his face into her neck. She savoured the feeling for only a second before the scent of the redhead bombarded her senses.

She shoved at him just enough to escape his embrace and stood up, tossing her blanket at him. "Goodnight," she said stiffly. "I don't suggest you stay out here too long lest your bed mate misses you."

With that she turned and walked back into the house.

_My back is weak but my will is true _

_Got good intentions but I never follow through _

_I say too much don't know when to leave _

_In case you're looking that's my heart there on my sleeve _

_Ego trips and stupid slip ups I'm a mess but _

She sat in the shadows while the couples danced across the dance floor. The women's long dresses created a sea of colour against the black dress robes that all the guys wore.

She spotted the new happy couple- Ginny in her long white dress and Harry in his muggle style tux. They were laughing together off to the side.

"they go well together," his husky baritone commented as he took the seat beside of her at the small table.

She didn't look at him, though she desperately wanted to, as she replied, "Yes, they do. I'm glad they're finally married."

"Me too."

They sat there in silence for a moment and she took the opportunity to study him beneath lowered lashes. Dress robes suited him, she decided as she took in his form.

He stood from the table and held out his hand. "Dance?"

She stared at his hand for a second before taking it. He led her to the dance floor and drew her close to him as the orchestra struck up a slow ballad. She found herself lost in his scent.

He started humming in her ear as they moved slowly together. She relished the feeling of his arms about her…how she had longed for this day, this dance.

She stiffened and pulled away, her mind flashing back to the many times she had watched him dancing with other women, much more beautiful women who he took home later.

"I'm sorry," she stumbled over her words as she backed away, "I need to go…um, yes, I have to go."

Concerned, he stepped towards her. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, just fine," she said quickly as she stepped farther away from him. "Tell Harry and Ginny that I said congratulations."

With that she fled.

_This is what you get this is who I am _

_Take me now or leave me anyway you can _

_Sometimes I trip and fall but I know where I stand _

_And if you're thinking about changing my direction _

_Don't mess with imperfection _

She stood beside her date as the party started. Mrs. Weasley had insisted she bring someone to the New Year's party and so she had found Matthew.

He was rather nice, but he wasn't _him_.

They had originally met during their seventh year at Hogwarts. He was a Ravenclaw, though she hadn't met him formally until that final year.

She knew that he fancied her and she was honestly trying, but every time she would start to feel something for him, she would remember another man.

She glanced around the room until her eyes landed on their target. He stood alone tonight and she immediately wondered at the reason behind that.

She smiled at her date as he asked her to dance. "I'd love to," she answered as she stood.

They walked to the centre of the floor. She entered his arms easily, knowing that while he had feelings for her, she could never return them.

The song was almost over when he walked over to them. "May I cut in?" he asked in a low voice, his eyes never leaving her face.

Matt glanced at her hesitantly and she gave him a small nod. Matt dropped a small kiss on her cheek before drawing back, allowing another man to step in.

"He's not your type," he commented almost immediately, drawing her impossibly close to him.

Her eyes flashed. "Who are you to say whether he's my type or not?" she demanded. "He's very nice, I'll have you know."

"He may be nice, but he's not your type." He lowered his head till his mouth brushed her ear. "Your eyes don't burn with passion when you look at him."

She drew back, her eyes narrowed angrily. "I suppose you'd know all about the passion, wouldn't you? Where's your date? Have you finally managed to conquer them all?"

"All but one," he replied, his eyes boring into hers.

She broke away from him without a word and went back to stand beside Matt. Only once during that night did she meet his gaze- right before the customary New Year's kiss.

_Scratched and bruised a little used but baby I work fine _

_You might call me damaged goods but I'm one of a kind _

_My hairs a wreck _

_No I'm not perfect but I'm not the only one _

She stood with her arms wrapped tightly around her on the small embankment in front of her small cottage. The wind swept past her, blowing her hair across her face.

But she didn't notice.

A tear slipped from her eye and made a trail down her cheek, slipping easily from her jaw. She didn't care…

He came to stand beside of her, his hands jammed in his pockets as he stared straight ahead. Softly, he said, "I'm sorry."

She let out a bitter laugh. "It's not your fault." She took a deep breath, swallowing her tears. "I thought…I don't know what I thought."

"You thought he could make you happy," he stated simply. He turned to look at her. "You and I both know that he never could have."

She felt her temper spark up. "You don't have any say in my life, you never have and never will. Who are you to say whether we would have been happy or not when you can't even have a decent relationship? You sleep with a different woman every night!"

He didn't respond but turned his head away from her. She immediately felt bad and muttered a soft, "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it, you were only making an observation." He turned back towards her, stepping into her line of vision. "Let me make one- he cheated on you and you're blaming yourself. You don't love him, you were just with him because he was there."

"You're…"

"Wrong?" He laughed. "I don't think so." He gripped her arms, leaning his face dangerously close to hers. "Admit it," he demanded. "Admit that you didn't love him."

"No…"

"Admit it," he growled as he crashed his lips to hers. He pulled back, whispering, "Admit he was just a poor substitute."

The salty tears fell from her eyes as he captured her lips once again, his arms wrapping around her tightly.

_This is what you get this is who I am _

_Take me now or leave me anyway you can _

_Sometimes I trip and fall but I know where I stand _

_And if you're thinking about changing my direction _

_Don't mess with imperfection _

_This is who I am _

_If you're thinking about changing my direction _

_Don't mess with imperfection _

Hermione toyed with the comforter she held up to her chest as the morning light streamed in through the window. She looked down at the sleeping form beside her.

She had lost control.

One kiss and she had been lost. One touch and she had melted…and now she was like every other woman he had slept with.

He stirred slightly and she stiffened as he opened his brilliant grey eyes and his mouth quirked into a groggy smile. "Morning, love," he mumbled as he reached up to pull her back to him.

She lightly shoved his hands away as she pulled back. "No," she said sternly, "we need to talk."

"Talk later," he returned as he quickly moved, pinning her beneath him. "I can think of more pleasurable things to be doing at the moment."

"Last night was a mistake," she said quickly, causing him to stiffen. "I lost control when you kissed me and…and I'm not like all those other girls you sleep with."

He pulled back angrily at her rushed statement. "Is that what you think?" He ran a hand through his hair savagely. "Don't you think I know that you're not like those other girls?"

He reached down quickly and caught her arms in a firm grip, pulling her up towards him. "I know damn well you're not like those other girls. You're their complete opposite."

"You don't have to rub salt in the wound," she spat angrily. "I know I'm not as pretty or as perfect as them."

He stared at her incredulously. "Merlin, is that what you think?" He laughed as he lightly kissed the tip of her nose. "You, my dear Hermione, are imperfection at its finest. I love your wild hair, your curvy figure, your insatiable hunger for knowledge." He brushed his hand over her cheek. "I love your creamy skin, even the freckles that shine through when you're out in the sun for too long. I love your dark chocolate eyes that just make me want to melt in them."

She felt tears burning her eyes. "You don't have to lie, I know I'm not what they would call pretty."

"No," he agreed softly, his grey eyes scanning her face. "You're beautiful, exquisite, hell, those don't even do you justice." He placed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth, his hands tenderly cupping her cheeks. "You are the most wonderful thing I have ever beheld."

She sniffed. "What about those other women?"

"Poor excuses to try to get you out of my head," he answered truthfully. "Remember that night I told you Harry was mad at me? Somehow he figured out how you felt for me and he was mad that I kept dating different women."

He leaned down to peer into her eyes. "I just want you to know that I never slept with any of those women. At the end of the night, they weren't you and so I pushed them away."

"What are you saying?"

He smiled. "I'm saying that I'm in love with you."

She smiled back at him. "Even though I'm not perfect?"

He kissed her, drawing a sensuous moan from between her lips. "I love all of your imperfections. They're what makes you perfect."

She ran her hands through his shaggy black hair. "I love you too, Sirius Black," she whispered against his lips.

**So, what did you think? Finally! A happy ending….sorry for punishing you guys with the sad endings…**


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